


Oath of Shadows

by ChainedThoughts



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:53:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29772984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChainedThoughts/pseuds/ChainedThoughts
Summary: The Teiko Chūgakkō Basketball club. An incredibly strong team with over one hundred members and three consecutive championship wins. Even with that brilliant history, a group of five prodigies known as the “Kiseki no Sedai” stood above the rest. However, there was a strange rumour concerning the Kiseki no Sedai. Despite being relatively unknown and lacking a game record, there was one more member recognised by the five prodigies. A phantom sixth man.But what if there was another shadow among the Kiseki no Sedai? What if the basketball team had two managers with Momoi working in the light and her shadow worked behind the scenes?The Kiseki no Sedai were not the only ones to make an oath that day.
Relationships: Akashi Seijuurou/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 0: Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from Kuroko no Basuke. They belong to Fujimaki Tadatoshi-Sensei. The only characters I own are the original characters created specifically for this fanfiction.

Chapter 0: Prologue

_The Teiko_ _Chūgakkō_ _Basketball club. An incredibly strong team with over one hundred members and three consecutive championship wins. Even with that brilliant history, a group of five prodigies known as the “Kiseki no Sedai” stood above the rest. However, there was a strange rumour concerning the Kiseki no Sedai. Despite being relatively unknown and lacking a game record, there was one more member recognised by the five prodigies. A phantom sixth man._

The sound of shoes squeaking in the gym, the thud of a basketball dribbling around, and the echoes of students cheering for their preferred team could be heard from all the way outside. Seirin Kōkō basketball team were having a practice match against Kaijō Kōkō today. It was all the buzz considering the fact that Kaijō has obtained one of the Kiseki no Sedai; **_Kise_** ** _Ryōta_** which caused excitement among the student body as it always does whenever a prodigy shows off their talents. However, only one person watched from above with a blank expression on her face as she watched the game without a shred of excitement. There was no way of knowing what goes on in her mind, but it was clear to anyone who knew her that she observing her enemies, so to speak.

❝ Ryōta looks like he’s having fun. ❞ A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she watched the game, her blank expression turned soft only for a moment before she sets her eyes on Seirin, particularly number 10.

❝ So you came to watch the game as well, Sakura? ❞ A familiar voice came from behind, revealing a tall figure with dark green hair. He was wearing a different school uniform from that of Kaijō Kōkō, however, the most unusual thing about him is probably the ceramic frog that he’s holding in his hand.

❝ I thought I’d come to cheer for the both of them. It’s been a while, Shintarō. ❞ She replied, looking over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed slightly and clearly trying to distract herself from the ceramic frog in his hand. She wanted to ask but at the same time, she really didn’t want to ask knowing his personality.

❝ This is my lucky item for the day. ❞ The one named Shintarō said suddenly after noticing her gaze, he had a feeling she was curious about it but refused to ask him.

❝ I didn’t say anything. ❞ She smiled at him while laughing softly before turning her attention back towards the match. ❝ If you must know, it seems like Ryōta might be in a bind. Seirin isn’t so bad for a team that just formed last year. ❞ Her eyes were completely glued to the match, observing everything and analysing everyone’s play for both Seirin and Kaijō.

He watched her for a moment, trying to get a read of what goes on in her mind but as usual, the only solution he could come up with was probably that she came here for _that person_. It was a long way from Kyoto for a simple practice match yet she came anyway and she would most likely report back to _him_ once her work here was done. Although he himself came to watch the game between his former teammates, he wasn’t expecting her to show up at all. Despite this, he knew that she is probably here as _that person’s_ eyes and ears, especially when it comes to matters regarding the Kiseki no Sedai.

❝ You think Kuroko would win against Kise? ❞ He was actually surprised she said that and usually when she makes a statement about something, it comes true. She was, after all, a manager for the Kiseki no Sedai who helped bring all of them to victory. **_Kurayami Sakura_** ; former manager of the Kiseki no Sedai. There were two managers among the Kiseki no Sedai; while Momoi Satsuki worked well in the open, Sakura was more inclined to work behind the scenes and supported the team from the shadows with her well-thought-out training menu that brought out every single member’s potential. He pushed his glasses up his nose, turning his gaze back to the game.

❝ Well, anything can happen, don’t you think? ❞ She smiled knowingly and said nothing else. It only frustrated him even more knowing that he still can’t read her. If Momoi was an open book, Sakura was a tightly locked diary that couldn’t be read unless you had the key but even if you had the key, the words needed to be deciphered.

❝ You can be really frustrating. ❞ There was no ill-intent in his words, if anything, they were spoken with such a gentle tone in his voice. ❝ I wasn’t expecting you to come all the way from Kyoto all because you heard Kise and Kuroko are having a match. I don’t even want to know how you heard about it but I’m guessing Kise told you? ❞

She blinked in surprise, a little taken aback that he knew it was Kise who told her about the match. Then again, she has not spoken to Kuroko since that day and he rarely texts anyone so it was probably an obvious scenario for Kise to be the one telling her. Now that he mentions it, Kise was a little too excited when he called her the day he found out he will be having a practice match with Kuroko that he practically ambushed him at Seirin. She had a feeling if Kise had it his way, he would probably kidnap Kuroko. Probably. Actually, that was a bit worrying.

❝ He called me at a bad time since Sei – Akashi was with me for practice. So I was told to come and check up on things. ❞ The bespectacled teen noticed the slipup but he did not comment on it. He didn’t want to push her. After all, she is doing this with the rest of them as well and had not once addressed him or Kise in the usual manner from back then. It was a hard habit to fall out of so easily but even so, he had a feeling she would continue to force herself to break that habit.

❝ Will you be returning right after this match? Should I send you home? By the time you reach Kyoto, it would already be nightfall. A girl shouldn’t be returning home alone, why did you even come here by yourself? ❞ The two of them stopped paying attention to the match as he nagged at her for being so reckless even if it was for Akashi, she shouldn’t be so careless.

❝ You’re so noisy. ❞ She sighed softly. ❝ I didn’t come here alone obviously. I brought an escort~ ❞ Well, in her opinion, she didn’t even need an escort but not only was Akashi stubborn but the moment the other three heard them, they were close to making her text them every five minutes. She was going to come up with the most brutal form of training if they didn’t shut up. In the end, she compromised and suggested one of them follow her if they were so worried.

❝ Then that’s fine. ❞ He was satisfied enough with her answer.

The both of them continued watching the game together until it was over with Seirin’s win against Kaijō which exceeded Sakura’s expectations. It was a close match with both teams not giving up and giving it their best. Even though Sakura was here to gather intel on Seirin, she was also observing Kise closely after sensing his growth after only a few months since all of them graduated from Teiko Chūgakkō. She already knew that the Kiseki no Sedai were still growing but to grow this much in such a short amount of time was amazing to her. She sneaked a glance over her shoulder and wondered how far he’s grown. **_Midorima Shintarō_** ; Kiseki no Sedai’s number one shooter. She was a bit curious to see him play with everyone but immediately discarded that thought, knowing it’ll just upset her to think about the past.

❝ That was a good game, I guess I’ll head on back for now. ❞ She gave Midorima one last smile as she always does back when they were all together. ❝ It was nice to see you again, Shintarō. You should come and visit us soon. You guys should play Shogi together~ ❞

❝ It’s too far! He should make an effort to come here instead, actually, he should do more work! Now go back home before it gets too dark! ❞ He retorted back angrily with no real bite. There was no way in hell _that person_ would make a trip all the way to Tokyo just to play Shogi with him. Hell would freeze over just thinking about it.

❝ I’ll be seeing you, Shintarō. Send Ryōta my regards. ❞

Midorima watched her leave the gym, waving at him before he went to go find Kise to talk about the match. He was worried that Sakura might bump into Kuroko on the way out although that was highly unlikely and it didn’t seem like she was going to go willingly see him either. He knew about how her relationship with Kuroko had been strained since that day but he also had a feeling that it was Sakura who could not bring herself to see Kuroko. He finally found Kise at the back of the gym, already criticising him about his play with Seirin today and to top it all off he was already going on about fate and horoscopes and lucky items. Kise can barely understand that last bit of information about a frog toy being lucky.

❝ We haven’t seen each other since middle school. ❞ Kise pouted slightly but even he was glad to see his former teammate. Not that he was particularly close to Midorima but he does acknowledge the shooter’s skills.

❝ Hmph. ❞ He pushed his glasses, finding this pointless but him saying that did remind him of earlier when he spoke to Sakura. ❝ She came to watch your play today. It seems that she had an inkling Kuroko would win and that you were in a bind. ❞

❝ She? ❞ His eyes widened in surprise once he realises who Midorima was talking about and although he did mention it to her the other day, he wasn’t expecting her to actually come and watch the match. ❝ She came all the way here from Kyoto? It would have been nice to see her again but I’d rather she heads back before it gets too dark. ❞ He was a bit upset that he didn’t get to see her after so long but the two of them often keep in contact either way so it wasn’t like they were not speaking to each other.

❝ Akashi will most likely hear about your match with Kuroko from her and without a doubt, she’s here to observe Kuroko’s new team. ❞ Midorima wasn’t expecting much from Seirin but he had a feeling that Kuroko’s new light; **_Kagami Taiga_** is still growing but whether or not he’s able to catch up to the Kiseki no Sedai is another matter entirely and now that Sakura herself has come to gather intel, there was a sense of foreboding in the air.

Elsewhere, the person in question had left Kaijō Kōkō with a smile and her clue blue eyes had a spark in them that had dimmed for the longest of time now. She was looking forward to how these turn of events were going to turn out and just as she was about to leave, she caught a glimpse of his familiar light blue hair blowing in the wind. It was Seirin Kōkō’s basketball team finally leaving Kaijō and heading home. It’s been a while since she last saw him and although a part of her had wanted to go greet him, another part of her didn’t want to see him.

_[No. I can’t see him. Not yet. It’s not yet the right time to see him.]_

She decided then and there that she shouldn’t go see him just yet and luckily for her that her escort had come to pick her up. Her escort happened to be one of her current teammates. He was tall and slender with chin-length black hair. It was probably a good thing he didn’t come in his school uniform or they would have been in trouble though Sakura didn’t really care if people knew students from Rakuzan Kōkō were seen at Kaijō Kōkō.

❝ Sakura-Chan, you left on your own again. ❞ The tall male spoke with a huff, almost like that of an irritated woman. He had a different way of speaking compared to most guys, in fact, he spoke like a woman though it had never bothered Sakura as she smiled sweetly at him. Despite how he looks, the person before her was **_Mibuchi Reo_** ; the Night Demon who was dubbed the Uncrowned King.

❝ I’m sorry, Reo-Nee. I was really excited to watch the game. I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest~ ❞ She didn’t look at all like she was sorry but she almost always gets away with anything and everything so long as she smiled sweetly at them.

❝ Let’s get back. I’m sure Sei-Chan will be worried if you stayed too long. ❞ He had his arm around her shoulder and gently pulled her along with him, making sure she doesn’t wander off on her again. He sneaked a glance at her and chuckled. ❝ You look like you’re having fun. Did something good happen? ❞

Sakura smiled knowingly without saying anything as the two of them headed to the station to return to Kyoto. Luckily they arrived on time as the shinkansen which would take them roughly around close to three hours before they reached Kyoto. She gazed out the window of the train towards the clear blue sky that had turned to a wonderful fiery red as the sun was now setting. It wasn’t an exaggeration in the slightest that something happened but it was more accurate to say that something good is going to happen. The moment they returned to Kyoto, they stopped by the gym where the others, Rakuzan Kōkō’s basketball team’s regulars; were currently working out.

❝ Welcome home, Sakura. You sure took your time. ❞ One of them came up to her with a pout, obviously sulking that she came back so late. He has short, blonde hair and a pair of oval-shaped eyes with dark pupils. **_Hayama Kotarō._** The Lightning Beast was once dubbed the Uncrowned King.

❝ I’m sorry, Kou-Chan. Were you perhaps waiting for me to come back so I could cook? Let me just check up on Akashi first then we can go, okay? ❞ Sakura sighed softly as she went to go check up on their captain who was in the other room.

❝ Oh? You guys came back already? Let’s go eat! ❞ The tallest of them all was lifting up weights, taking a big gulp from his bottled water. He was a lot more muscular than the rest of them and adding to his height, makes him look a lot older than his age. **_Nebuya Eikichi._** Much like the other two; he was also dubbed as the Uncrowned King though most people called him the Herculean Strength.

❝ Sakura-Chan will probably be updating Sei-Chan right now. You two should go ahead and shower first. ❞

Sakura entered the other room where Rakuzan Kōkō’s basketball captain was waiting for her. He had just finished showering himself and was simply resting for a bit. **_Akashi Seijūrō._** He was also a captain for the Kiseki no Sedai, in fact, he’s also part of the Kiseki no Sedai himself. Sakura sat next to him, not wanting to wake him up as she gently caressed his red-maroon-coloured hair when he slowly opened his eyes. His heterochromia eyes gazed at her sleepily and he nuzzled her hand a little, still feeling a little drowsy. She always did think he was like a cat, a very spoiled cat most of the time.

❝ You look really tired. Otsukaresama, Seijūrō. ❞ It’s been a long time since she last called him by his given name rather than his family name and whenever she does, it’s only when the two of them were alone together.

❝ You’re back? How did it go? ❞ He had sent her to Tokyo for that reason though he wasn’t really happy about it. Even so, he was still quite interested in it. He could already tell what her answer was going to be based on her smile alone. ❝ Eee~ How interesting. ❞

Akashi stood up after she had finished updating him about the match, feeling excited about the whole thing as well as he was looking forward to how everything will turn out. The Kiseki no Sedai had a promise to keep and having Kuroko be part of it is going to make things even more interesting. Sakura watched him silently. If there was going to be a battle among the Kiseki no Sedai against Kuroko and his new light, Sakura can only hope that it would at least be entertaining. As long as Kuroko was participating, she knew that something was bound to change but whether it’s good or bad is something she can’t predict.

_[I’m looking forward to this year’s Interhigh. Don’t disappoint me now, Phantom-Kun.]_

## To Be Continued.


	2. Chapter 1: A Manager's Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Teiko Chūgakkō Basketball club. An incredibly strong team with over one hundred members and three consecutive championship wins. Even with that brilliant history, a group of five prodigies known as the “Kiseki no Sedai” stood above the rest. However, there was a strange rumour concerning the Kiseki no Sedai. Despite being relatively unknown and lacking a game record, there was one more member recognised by the five prodigies. A phantom sixth man.
> 
> But what if there was another shadow among the Kiseki no Sedai? What if the basketball team had two managers with Momoi working in the light and her shadow worked behind the scenes?
> 
> The Kiseki no Sedai were not the only ones to make an oath that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from Kuroko no Basuke. They belong to Fujimaki Tadatoshi-Sensei. The only characters I own are the original characters created specifically for this fanfiction.

Chapter 1: A Manager’s Job

_Rakuzan_ _Kōkō is a prestigious school located in Kyoto. It has the strongest basketball team throughout the whole country. They are the defending champions of the Winter Cup for the past five years and had won multiple tournaments over the years. It was no exaggeration that they are stronger this year when they acquired the captain of the Kiseki no Sedai; Akashi Seijūrō as well as the remaining Uncrowned Kings._

❝ Then I’ll leave it to you, Kurayami. Don’t forget to let the other team members know that we’re doing try-outs today so there will be no practice. ❞ An older gentleman around his 40s spoke while looking at the application forms that were submitted by students who were mainly first years wanting to try out for the basketball team. **_Shirogane Eiji_** ; has black swept-back hair with gray streaks on each side. He may not look it but he was once part of the national basketball team and although he had retired from that life, he went on to become a coach for the Rakuzan Kōkō _basketball team_.

❝ We are doing try-outs again? Are there new applicants or did the captain suggest this? ❞ The person before him had long, wavy black hair that falls past her hips and wearing Rakuzan Kōkō’s schoolgirl uniform but her most prominent feature was her clear sky blue eyes. **_Kurayami Sakura_** ; the manager for the basketball team in Rakuzan Kōkō as well as the former manager for Teiko Chūgakkō’s basketball team.

❝ Yes. We have a few new applicants who came to me personally to hand in their applications. It was Akashi that suggested we do the try-outs as soon as possible as a way to test them when he found out about it. ❞ The coach had a lot of faith in Akashi’s decisions and allowed him to take command more than once. The rest of the team members had no problems with it even when he made Akashi their captain despite being a first-year student.

❝ Alright. I’ll let everyone know about it. Please excuse me. ❞

Sakura bowed and left the faculty room after taking the documents handed to her by the coach before walking down the hallway with a certain coldness around her that was hard for anyone to approach her. Coach Shirogane had always thought that it was a shame Sakura doesn’t show much emotion unless she’s with Akashi or those close to her but he was always amazed by how well she understood Akashi’s decisions without questioning it. He accepted her to be the basketball club’s manager for the sole reason that she too had come from Teiko Chūgakkō alongside Akashi. Despite knowing her for a few months now, he still couldn’t really understand what goes on in her mind either because she was like an unknown entity that had no shape or form. A dangerous existence that had yet to bear her fangs. Coach Shirogane knew that it was probably a relief she was their ally and not an enemy. At that moment, Sakura was walking down the hallway towards the Student Council room knowing that’s where Akashi would be right now.

❝ Excuse me. ❞ She announced before entering the room to find that Akashi was indeed in the room and concentrating on a Shogi game by himself. He tends to do that a lot when he’s bored. She closed the door and walked over to him, sneaking a glance at the board game with a chuckle. ❝ Seijūrō, are you perhaps stuck? That looks like a difficult move. ❞

❝ Sakura? You’re clearly enjoying this, aren’t you? ❞ He sighed at the raven but didn’t take his eyes off the board as she sat in front of him to watch him play. He usually played Shogi with Midorima back in Teikō but no one really challenged him here though if he was being honest, not everyone would willingly challenge him out of pure motivation to defeat him the way Midorima does back then.

❝ But of course~ ❞ She giggled softly. Her long black hair falling over her shoulders as she tilted her head slightly with a playful smile gracing her lips. She was definitely enjoying herself watching him struggle. ❝ Isn’t it a lot more fun not knowing whether you’ll win or not? ❞

❝ You’re here to talk about the try-outs aren’t you? ❞ It was no surprise that Sakura would know what he was thinking but the same can be said about him, he knew what Sakura was thinking as well. They had always been able to read each other so easily without even speaking to each other. ❝ Have you already told everyone else? ❞

❝ Not yet. I came here as soon as Coach told me. ❞

❝ What’s wrong? ❞ The slight change in her expression was easy to miss but not for someone like him. He had always been observant so he could tell she was uneasy about something and her coming to him first only affirmed it.

❝ This is a test, isn’t it? To prove that you’re a capable captain. I’m surprised you gave yourself a test. ❞ Well, it’s not like no one disapproved of him being captain. In fact, it was the most obvious choice considering his reputation and natural abilities. ❝ I think you’re fine the way you are, Seijūrō. ❞

❝ But it seems like it would be fun. ❞ He smiled at her. He enjoyed testing himself to see how far he could go and the results were always as he expected. Akashi reached out to gently caress her cheek before lightly pinching her. ❝ You really worry too much, Sakura. Shall we go and let the others know? ❞

❝ So petty. ❞ She sighed in defeat, puffing her cheeks and pouting as he is clearly teasing her right now. It wasn’t as though she was against improving himself but Sakura knows that him always coming out on top is a necessity and not a desire to him. It was like a job he needed to do every single day without fail. Even so, she knew how much basketball meant to him so she decided not to bring this up again and would continue to watch over him.

❝ Hai, hai. ❞ It’s been a long time since she heard him laugh in such a carefree manner so it was a nice change of pace as the two of them cleaned up the Shogi board before heading back to class. Sakura had already texted the basketball team group chat to let them know about the change in schedule for today.

They left the student council room together while discussing what to do in regards to the try-outs that would be held later today. Sakura suggested that they should have a three-on-one match since it’s a lot more doable instead of throwing them to the wolves. The Uncrowned Kings were strong and so far, Sakura had a feeling that Akashi is probably the only one who is on par with them. She didn’t want to scare any newcomers away. It would be a shame after coming this far. Rakuzan was, after all, the strongest school in Japan when it comes to basketball which was the main reason Akashi chose this school in the first place.

❝ Sakura~ ❞ A certain blonde had glomped her from behind with a big smile on his face while also smiling at Akashi. ❝ So you were with Akashi after all. I was telling Reo-Nee that’s where you’d be and I was right~ ❞ He certainly looked proud of himself for some reason which only made her smile.

❝ Kou-Chan, please get off. You’re incredibly heavy. ❞ She sighed softly but didn’t really mind having Hayama hug her considering she’s gotten used to it at this point. He was like a little puppy that loves to cuddle.

❝ Kotarō, were you looking for us? ❞ Akashi glared at Hayama as though he was going to murder him on the spot.

❝ Ah! Don’t get mad! ❞ Hayama immediately stopped hugging Sakura with tears in his eyes. He looked like a dejected puppy getting scolded by his owner.

❝ Akashi, don’t bully him. ❞ Sakura sighed softly, gently patting Hayama on the head. ❝ What did you need us for, Kou-Chan? ❞

❝ Oh right! ❞ Hayama could tell that Sakura was probably enjoying this. ❝ We’re having try-outs today right? We were wondering if we could play with them for a quick session? ❞

❝ You want to hold a practice match with newcomers? ❞ This got Akashi interested though he could already expect the end results and was in deep thought before looking to Sakura. It was just as she had predicted earlier that she has them right where she wants them; playing in the palm of her hands.

❝ Divide between three matches against them and I think it’ll be okay but please don’t go overboard. ❞ She then looked to Hayama with a chilling smile that was voided of all warmth. ❝ It’s okay not to hold back either. ❞

❝ Seriously? Alright! I’ll tell Reo-Nee and Eikichi about it! See you two later! ❞ He felt a chill run down his spine as he excused himself, running away from the feeling of coldness that enveloped the raven.

The two of them bid Hayama goodbye and returned to heading back to their class. Akashi knew that if newcomers had a chance to go up against the Uncrowned Kings, there are two possible outcomes and he could only see the end result of the most plausible of the two. He glanced over at Sakura, wondering if perhaps she sees the end result of the other outcome or if she decided to gamble on the hope that it would not end the way he expected. Her sky blue eyes had never wavered; they were always as clear as always since they first met long ago.

❝ What are your thoughts on the matter? You’ve already read the data on the new applicants so you must have already seen how it will end. ❞ Akashi knew that Sakura’s ability to read how everything plays out had either been accurate or expected. The only times any game has ever exceeded her expectations is whenever the Kiseki no Sedai is the one playing though she has yet to predict what is to happen when the Kiseki no Sedai clashes against one another fully.

❝ I think it’ll be quite an interesting try-out. ❞ She smiled knowingly, not saying any more than that which Akashi took as a sign that she’s not going to tell him anything else so it’s pointless to keep on asking though he doesn’t really mind it.

They reached their class, absorbed in discussing new strategies and tactics together which was always something they had done even before basketball. Akashi depended on Sakura’s data despite having good intuition himself while Sakura relied on his predictions and strategies. The day went by, as usual, classes went on as normal until the last bell rang that indicates that classes were over for the day. Sakura cleaned up her things before she made her way to the girl’s locker room to change into her P.E. clothes. As manager of the basketball club, she had to prepare for everything before the members start their practice but luckily it’s only try-outs today so there was no need to use most of the equipment. She tied her hair in a loose braid, her clipboard in hand as well as a whistle around her neck.

❝ Now then, time for work. ❞ She started off by checking the basketball equipment to ensure nothing was damaged or broken so that no one would get injured. Once that was done, the raven arranged a few chairs at the side for the advisor and coach should they join them today and placed the first aid kit on her chair. She was in charge of seeing any injuries that might happen during practice. She had already polished the balls as well as moped the floors yesterday so the gym was clean, tidy, and organised.

It wasn’t long before the gym was filled with some of the members of the basketball team including the newcomers who were quite nervous from the looks of things. Sakura blew her whistle and had them do some light warmups before starting anything and mainly to let them ease up a little. She didn’t want anyone passing out from being too nervous. The Uncrowned Kings entered the gym with Akashi, looking as though they were going to devour their enemies from the way they’re smiling so excitedly. Sakura sighed when she realises that a certain someone is skipping today again though she had heard from Akashi that there was no need for him to make an appearance yet so she let it slide for now.

❝ I know I said you could go all out, but please try not to take it too far. I would still like for us to welcome new members. ❞ She sighed with a shake of her head when they approached her all excitedly that it was now a bit worrying.

❝ Don’t worry, Sakura. I’m sure things will turn out alright in the end. ❞ Akashi reassured her with a smile. She gave him a look of disbelief which made him chuckle softly. ❝ Shall we get things started then? ❞

❝ Well, since it’s you, we’ll just do things your way then. ❞

❝ Sakura, can I go warm up first? ❞ Hayama was definitely really excited much to Sakura’s dismay.

❝ Do as you please. ❞ She waved him off, giving up on having any of them listen to her right now. It wasn’t like they would go against Akashi so, at the very least, she knew they would behave even a little.

❝ Sakura-Chan worries so much. ❞ Reo gave her a gentle pat on the head. ❝ I’ll take you shopping later to make you feel better~ ❞

❝ I don’t really think shopping would help but I do need to go shopping for stuff later so it would help if you accompanied me Reo-Nee. ❞ She did need to go buy things for the club anyway so having a guy follow her would help greatly since she wouldn’t be able to carry anything on her own.

❝ Are you going to be home late today? ❞ Akashi had his arms crossed, his head tilted slightly as he gazed at her. ❝ Do you want me to come and pick you up? ❞

❝ I’ll be just fine with Reo-Nee but thank you. Shall I round up everyone now? Sensei is here so it’s about time. ❞ Noticing that both the coach and advisor had finally turned up to the gym.

Akashi nodded and Sakura immediately blew her whistle again to get everyone’s attention before Coach Shirogane began making introductions to the newcomers. It was expected for them to be amazed that not only do they have Akashi Seijūrō as their captain but they also have the remaining Uncrowned Kings in their team. He then handed the briefing over to Sakura who explained how the try-outs will work for today and that it was a simple formality to test their skills. It goes without saying that they will be playing against each Uncrowned King in a three against one match, three newcomers vs one Uncrowned King. If they could at least score one point, the match would be over and they will wait their next test. If they are able to score all three points, they will immediately go one-on-one against Akashi. The reactions were mixed; some were unable to handle the pressure of going up against prodigies while the remaining felt motivated to try and challenge their idols.

❝ Shall we get started then? I’ll be rooting for you. ❞ Sakura ended her briefing with a polite smile though, in the perspective of the new members, they saw an angel smiling down on them, unaware that it’s the devil’s smile.

❝ Yes, ma’am! ❞ Of course, they would all reply enthusiastically much to the current member’s amusement. Coach Shirogane simply sighed with a shake of his head, knowing that they were all now in the **Devil Trainer’s** mercy.

With the blow of her whistle, Sakura began today’s matches and watched everyone closely with her ability to scan each player’s statistics with accurate predictions of how well they’d play as well as finding any potential talents within the newcomers. It was a three against one match, their opponent was one of the Uncrowned Kings starting with Hayama who was just itching to play against them. The Uncrowned Kings were not allowed to play using their full abilities as per Akashi’s last-minute instruction but even so, they were still difficult opponents. Not a single person had gotten past Hayama. Sakura blew her whistle to end today’s session and told them that although they don’t have a spot as a regular, they are still welcome to join the club and practice alongside everyone else. There was no discrimination among them and they were more than happy to still be part of the team even if they can’t play in a real game. Sakura was going to polish each member until they could hold against Hayama, not wanting them to feel like they could never surpass anyone. She held a firm belief that as long as they love basketball, they would continue to work hard to practice even if they didn’t have the same skill sets as the regulars but that fire to achieve the impossible should spark their passion for the sport.

❝ That’s it for today. Practice is over. I’ll let you guys know once your club uniform has arrived but in the meantime, feel free to use your gym clothes when you come for practice. ❞ Sakura dismissed everyone before checking up on all the equipment used today. Some of the other members had already picked up the balls for her and had set them aside for polishing.

❝ Did anyone catch your eye? ❞ Akashi had yet to leave the gym so it was only the two of them now. He had been watching the new players as closely as Sakura did, unable to find anyone with talent that is on par with the Kiseki no Sedai.

❝ None. ❞ Speaking of new talent, it reminded her of the raw talent that Seirin Kōkō had managed to acquire, and based on what she saw during the match with Kaijō Kōkō; a new Light had appeared although he was still a little too dim.

❝ It was what I expected but not what I had hoped. ❞ From time to time, Sakura would catch Akashi’s longing for someone to be able to go toe-to-toe with him. She didn’t answer him and simply continued on with her duty as a manager, making sure everything was in place. ❝ I’ll go and change first. I’ll accompany you to go shopping today. ❞

Akashi didn’t wait for Sakura’s reply as he headed to the boy’s locker room to change into his school uniform. The raven didn’t need to reply to him, knowing that she’d wait for him anyway since they always go shopping together. She wonders if Reo would join them too. Akashi was too much of a worrywart and his protective nature had not changed since they were young. Once she finished cleaning up the equipment, she returned the chairs to the storage room before heading to the club room to fill up the daily report for club activities. A manager’s job isn’t all fun and games after all so Sakura is constantly busy that she barely has any time for herself. It was a lot easier back in middle school because she was Momoi’s assistant but she is the sole manager for Rakuzan Kōkō basketball club.

❝ Done for the day. ❞ She sighed, locking up the clubroom before heading to the girl’s locker room to change into her school uniform. She made sure to keep the report book, club funds account book, and her whistle in her locker for safekeeping then headed out to meet up with Akashi who was waiting for her at the school entrance. He was leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets as he gazed up at the sky.

❝ … ❞ He seemed to be in deep thought, unaware of Sakura’s presence even as she stood in front of him. It was something that happens from time to time, where he looked completely lost and almost like a different person but Sakura recognised _him_. ❝ Ah, Sakura. You’re here. Shall we get going? ❞ Even the tone of his voice changed slightly but it didn’t last very long as Akashi returned Seijūrō for only a moment.

❝ Yes. Let’s head out now. ❞ It was only for a moment and yet, she was grateful for that one moment as her lips curled up to a gentle smile and her eyes filled with nothing but warmth and love for him. ❝ Let’s go, Seijūrō~ ❞

Akashi usually didn’t allow anyone to come in close contact with him, however, Sakura was different from everyone else. He didn’t mind that she had linked their arms together. He much prefers to see her express happiness rather than not express any form of emotions at all. The two of them decided to walk to town instead of taking the car although they did tell their driver to come to pick them up later since Sakura would be buying a few things for the club as well as do some grocery shopping for the week. As it turned out, Reo wasn’t going to join them the moment he found out that Akashi was going to go with her.

❝ Reo said something about how he didn’t want to be a third-wheeler and I should enjoy my time. ❞ Sakura had this look of confusion on her face when he mentioned why Reo wasn’t going to come along after Akashi told him he’d join them. She didn’t understand him but she did have a feeling that Reo was probably teasing her. She decided to set aside Reo’s teasing and continued pulling Akashi along with her to town.

Kyoto was no different from Tokyo, or at least, that’s how Sakura felt the first time they moved to Kyoto. The city was bustling with life, there were crowds of people who go about their day on routine though the only difference she could point out was that Kyoto had this serene air to it that she doesn’t quite feel when in Tokyo. It could be because it was a city overflowing with tradition and culture that it didn’t have the same concrete feel like the busy life of Tokyo. She doesn’t really miss Tokyo all that much but if there was something she misses; it was her friends who had all taken different paths. Other than her friends, Sakura didn’t have any attachment to the city. She was more than willing to leave her family behind to follow Akashi but a part of her believed that she would have still made the decision to leave the Kurayami household one way or another.

**Kurayami Group.** Sakura’s family is at the top of the hierarchy in the world of finance and politics. Her father is a well-known businessman who changed not only the business industry but also the finance industry during his much younger years. His father, on the other hand, is a man of politics which is why he himself had to learn about politics when he was young. Sakura’s mother was chosen to marry her father as a means to strengthen family ties between them which only ended up in a loveless marriage. She was a young woman who had lived the life of luxury, having never lifted a finger to work in her life and always got what she wanted with the exception of her husband’s love. Her mother’s family was in the fabric industry, they sold fabric to designers and have expanded their business towards making clothes. She had never wanted to marry the heir to the Kurayami group at first but fell in love with him at first sight and fell into despair when her husband barely acknowledged her despite her efforts.

❝ Sakura? ❞ Akashi’s soft voice pulled her out of her trance. They had stopped walking for a while now and she wasn’t paying much attention to their conversation. ❝ Did something happen again? ❞ He recognised the look in her eyes. He had seen it so many times before throughout the majority of his life.

❝ No. I was just thinking about what we need to buy. ❞ She smiled at him. It was a lie. She knew that and he knew that but neither of them would say anything about it. Neither of them would dare to unlock that tightly closed chest.

She continued to close a lid on those thoughts and pushed it out of her mind, only focusing on what was right in front of her. The two of them made their way to their usual sports store that has all the things she needed to buy from polish to cleaning supplies to spray cans of paint for the banner. Sakura checked with the manager of the store in regards to their basketball jerseys that she had ordered some time ago, checking the material quality and quantity of each of them. The manager told her that she would be getting the first supply next week and she thanked him for his hard work. Once that was done, they finally left the sports store with their items and headed straight for the supermarket.

❝ What would you like for dinner today? ❞ She turned to Akashi, crossing out her to-do list and now checking her grocery list. He offered to push the cart for her while she grabs what she needs for the week.

❝ Anything will do, you look like you need to eat more, Sakura. You’ve lost a bit of weight. ❞ Here it comes, Mama-Akashi nagging at her about her health. If Akashi was like the mama of the Kiseki no Sedai, she’s pretty sure that Midorima’s strictness makes him the papa and that was twice as annoying.

❝ I assure you that you’re seeing things. I’m the normal weight and size, thank you very much. I eat just as much as you. ❞ This was a lie but the only reason she eats her breakfast is due to the fact that she wakes up early to make bento lunches for Akashi on a daily basis. If it was up to her, she didn’t care so much for eating which was a habit from childhood.

❝ Sakura. ❞ His tone was stern though still had that slight gentleness to it.

She refused to look at him and continued on with her shopping list; potatoes, onions, carrots, broccoli, packs of meat, spices and herbs, rice, and seaweed. She also had to buy a new set of knives, miso soup bowls, a new pot, and a frying pan for the kitchen since she didn’t have the time to buy them after moving into her new apartment. When she left her household, she told her father she wanted to live on her own and he agreed with the condition that he’ll decide on the place and pays for it. She had to buy everything else on her own such as the kitchen supplies, cleaning supplies, and furniture since she planned on doing everything herself without the help of servants. Akashi checks up on her from time to time though he has stayed over more than once which is why her cutlery sets are all in pairs.

❝ I think that’s about it. ❞ She checked her list again with a proud nod, pleased to have gotten everything without missing anything. It was a good thing it was the middle of the week where there are fewer people out shopping. ❝ Shall we head home now? ❞

❝ I’ve already informed the driver; he’s waiting for us outside so let’s go pay for everything. ❞ Akashi pocketed his phone after texting the driver and pushed the cart towards the cashier to pay for everything before heading out of the supermarket towards the car. Once everything was kept in the trunk, the two hopped into the car and made their way back to Sakura’s apartment.

❝ Thank you for accompanying me today, Seijūrō. We managed to finish up in time too. ❞

❝ Just call me if you need to do any more shopping. I can’t have you injure yourself from carrying too many things on your own. ❞

❝ If it pleases you~ ❞ She poked his cheek and smiled, leaning back against the seat with a sigh. It was such a tiring day.

Luckily she was able to kill two birds with one stone today. A manager’s job is so busy that she never has time for grocery shopping so it was lucky for her to be able to get things done while getting stuff for the basketball club at the same time too. Even so, it was always so fulfilling to be able to achieve even the smallest victory as a manager. It made her happy which is why being Rakuzan’s basketball club manager has been the most rewarding job for her, more so than back in middle school when she only got to assist Momoi.

❝ You look happy. ❞ Akashi noticed the smile on her face as he peeked up from reading his book.

❝ Yes I am~ ❞

❝ It’s admirable how you’re always so efficient as our manager. Keep up the good work, Sakura. ❞

❝ I’m honoured, Captain~ I am Rakuzan Kōkō’s Basketball Club Manager after all~ ❞

[ _I wouldn’t have it any other way._ ]

# To be continued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for reading all the way until the end~ I hope everyone is having a great day today~
> 
> (ꈍ ꒳ ꈍ✿)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading until the end, I'm still in the process of writing future chapters but I do hope you guys stick around until the end. I just have a lot of love for Kuroko no Basuke and thought it would be interesting to write with Rakuzan's side of the story instead of Kuroko's.
> 
> PS: Feel free to leave an opinion~ (ꈍ ꒳ ꈍ✿)


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